1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the process for applying hair treatment, in particular color or highlights to hair.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is widely appreciated that both men and women wish to change their hair color from time to time, and for different underlying motivations. Professional services that provide hair coloring treatments and commercial off-the-shelf products that may be purchased and applied by the consumer are commonly provided throughout the United States and most communities internationally.
The process for applying a hair color treatment is well-established. However, the tools and products used in the hair color treatment process offer substantial room for improvement in their performance and their alignment with other values or priorities the user may hold, particularly environmental concerns and/or comfort during the hair color process.
Therefore, there continues to exist a need to replace incumbent products with new ones that offer additional dimensions of value to the user. In particular, the current trend or tool employed during the highlighting of hair is foil, which is well suited for improvement. Aluminum foil strips are employed to wrap sections of dyed hair within the foil. A hair stylist will typically isolate a portion of hair, place it on a foil strip, add hair treatment, i.e., color or hair dye to the hair and thereafter, wrap the hair within the foil so as the dye remains inside the now formed pocket of the foil. Upon completion of adding color and wrapping all desired hair strands in the foil strips, the user is placed under a dryer for a sufficient period of time to set the treatment or dye on the hair. This often is termed “cook” the color or treatment into the hair. Treatment herein is referred to any type of hair solution resulting in a modification to the hair such as a deep conditioner, cleanser, color or highlight, bleaching, straightening, curling, relaxing, or the like. The present invention has been found to be particular suited for highlighting hair, but other applications will be apparent to the user.
(The Problem) It has been found that during the hair dryer portion of the color treatment, the foil, as well as the hair, is heated and the foil transfers additional heat to the hair exacerbating the drying and damage to the hair. In addition, the aluminum or metallic foils currently in use are not environmentally friendly, and cannot be easily recycled in view of the chemical additive (ie., the hair color) present on the metallic foil. Disposal for current foil is through traditional trash-to-landfill procedures. Further, using foil in the coloring process often is uncomfortable for the user since it tends to pull the hair during use.
Various US and EP patents have published or issued relating to various techniques for coloring and treating hair, or for tools and kits utilized for hair coloring or hair highlighting. Patents include: U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,970 (method of foiling hair), U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,864 (frosting foils), U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,539 (process and product for highlighting hair using foil), U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,268 (hair highlighting method and apparatus using foil), U.S. Pat. No. 7,628,160 (tool and apparatus for use in hair coloring and other treatment foiling method), EP 1,562,454 (method and system for hair coloring and highlighting using a hair care kit), EP 2,005,854 (system for highlighting hair using device having 2 movably joined portions), EP 1,179,986 (application device for highlighting hair employing hair dye container).
Also existing are patents on the use of plastic sheets as alternatives to foil for highlighting hair. Patents include: U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,840 (flexible elastic plastic material having openings thereon and used during hair coloring), U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,937 (method of hair highlighting using polystyrene sheet), U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,983 (hair coloring using polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and polyproplylene).
It has been found that use of the plastic materials are not as efficient as foil and provide the stability of the color on the hair. Plastic is too flimsy to keep the hair stable. Plastic is used more for covering the head of hair to keep body heat in. Cling wrap can be used but, it is not ideal. It is too flimsy to work for highlighting. It is also messy and does not contain the color within its folds, causing color to be everywhere.
In view of the problems associated with use of foil, and the continuous issues associated with plastic, there exists a need for an alternative, or replacement for foil in the hair color/highlighting process.